The e-Club of Houston is excited to announce that we have received our first global grant from Rotary International! The grant award in the amount of $36,512 provides funding for the acquisition and installment of medical equipment and reagents necessary to establish the first molecular diagnostics laboratory for infectious diseases in Venezuela. The project is called "Diagnostics and Treatment of Infectious Diseases in Barquisimeto, Venezuela." The grant was submitted by RC Barquisimeto-Nueva Segovia (D-4380) and RC e-Club of Houston (D-5890). Molecular diagnosis is a valuable tool with virtually no development in the country. These modern techniques significantly increase diagnostic precision and speed, and they can also prevent unnecessary expenses and harm related to misdiagnosis and delayed treatment. The main beneficiary of this project will be The Venezuelan Science Incubator (VSI), a non-profit organization devoted to the study and treatment of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) using translational science: the practical application of scientific knowledge developed in the laboratory to provide health care solutions for the most vulnerable populations in the country.
At the August Monthly Rotary Meeting, we were joined by Carlos Hernandez, Vice President of the Venezuelan Science Incubator (VSI), who introduced and explained the organization and took many questions from our e-Club members. Thank you Carlos for your presentation and thank you to our e-Club's President, Isis Mejias, for all of her work on submitting this global grant! Read additional project details here.
Carlos Hernandez and the team from the Venezuelan Science Incubator
